Curse
by Blackcat88
Summary: I'm a fifteen hundred year old dragon. If you think that's great for me, I beg to differ. Dojo POV. Now a twoshot!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes: This little bit of fiction works on two assumptions that I think we can all agree makes sense.**

**1. Dojo, being a dragon, is immortal. I have my own copy of _Dr. Ernest Drake's Dragonology: The Complete Book of Dragons_ and it's my main reference here. First off, I think its obvious Dojo is an Asian Lung (a type of dragon without wings that has four limbs, two in front and two in back), specifically a Chinese Lung, because that's where he's from (but, based on the pictures in the book, he's also similar to a Lindworm, a dragon with no wings and only two front limbs). One chapter of the book discusses a dragon's lifecycle and when it comes to the part about age, the Chinese Lung's maximum age is said to be unknown. Considering we know Dojo's been around for more than 1500 years and the maximum age the book lists is 400 years, we can safely assume Dojo isn't going anywhere soon. **

**2. There were other Dragons living and training at the temple before the ones we already know about. Think about it; 1500 years from Dashi's time to the present. A long time indeed. Now while I don't think Shen Gon Wu factored into it, since I doubt they were hidden and revealed multiple times throughout the years, there would still be techniques to pass down and evil to fight. Concerning the techniques portion of it, I think of it as any other culture; use it or lose it. If it doesn't get passed down and taught to other people, it doesn't stick around. And since we know the Xiaolin temple is still going, well, you get the idea.**

**Sorry if that seemed incredibly long and boring, but I felt it was important.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown.**

* * *

**Curse**

I'm a fifteen hundred year old dragon. If you think that's great for me, I beg to differ.

I'm not saying getting to live that long doesn't have its perks. I mean, I'm a walking history book; I've seen it all. I've seen the rise and fall of empires and the creation of wondrous inventions and machines. I've seen many great men and women lead revolutions for freedom, for rights, for ideas, for good and for evil alike. I've witnessed the transformations of wilderness to civilization and back again. I've met so many people. I've had the time to read books. A lot of books. Heck, I could probably start my own academy or something. I've done so many things. It's incredible.

But at the same time, it's terrible.

I sit here, watching the years go by. Everyone gets older, but I manage to remain, while others pass on. Do you realize how many friends I've made?

Do you realize how many friends I've lost?

Since I'm the temple's guardian, most of my time is spent in this place. I don't get the chance to see others of my own kind very often. So living at the temple means I mostly associate with humans.

Molly, Anatola, Victoria, Emma, Hannah, Zelda, Clarice, Belle. Armando, Gregory, Simon, Luca, Justin, Basil, Elliot, Irwin. All of them were Dragons; Dragons of the past. There were many more. I didn't forget them, I just didn't name them.

I never forgot them.

They started out just like the kids I know today. They were chosen by the current master monk of the temple. Their particular element was decided upon. And then they trained, learning ancient techniques so that they can combat evil. Yeesh, I'm starting to sound like Omi. But I digress.

They were all such good kids. Sure, some were cocky and overconfident. Others were timid and cautious about their new role in life. But they were a good and varied bunch. Name a trait; any trait. I've known a person who was just like that. Smart, bold, lazy, cowardly, etc., etc. I miss them all so much.

Here I am, sitting on my little pillow, right by the ancient scrolls. I can't stop thinking about them. I don't want to get up. I don't want to face the others today. Not right now. If a Shen Gon Wu reveals itself, I think I'll just ignore it. I don't want to face the others.

Because I know they'll end up like the rest. Dead and gone. But I'll still be here.

Luca; he hailed from Italy. Lived on a fishing boat from the age of six to the time he came here. He loved the ocean. A bit of a loudmouth, boisterous, but he was always respectful to his elders. He was a Dragon of the Water, of course.

Armando was from Spain. He was a really hot-headed guy who never gave up, no matter what the odds were. That and he loved to dance, especially with Victoria, the Dragon of the Water at the time. He was the Dragon of Fire.

Molly, she was a nice girl, from England. Quiet, but not because she was shy; she knew when to keep her mouth shut and when to dispense with the wisdom. She was a hardworking Dragon of the Wind.

Belle, she was a very sweet girl from France. She loved animals, especially me. And she really liked it when I sat on her shoulder. We were like family; the fact that we were different species didn't matter. One of many girls who rose to become Shoku, leader of the Dragons. She was a Dragon of the Earth.

Why is it that Dragons of the Earth always make for such nice perches? It seems that every time I want to sit on someone's shoulder, they make for the best spot.

Oh. Stop the memories. It hurts too much to remember.

I'm sitting here on my pillow. I don't want to get up.

They'll all leave me at some point.

Footsteps. No, leave me alone. I don't want to get up. I don't want to see their smiling faces. I don't want to see them happy and cheerful, on one of the few days they get to just goof around. Because I know it won't last. It never lasts.

Why can't it last?

"Hey Dojo. Where ya been? We didn't see you at breakfast. Or at lunch. I figured maybe you left the temple to go somewhere..."

Clay. It's Clay. Nice kid from Texas. Always keeps his cool.

Go away. I miss you already.

Have I been crying? Does my face look pained? Because as he steps closer, he looks more worried.

"Hey, little buddy, are you okay? You look sadder than a dog that just lost its bone."

Go. Play. Enjoy your short existence while you can.

Humans are some of the worst creatures I've ever known. They're the ones who are prone to evil acts. You never hear about an evil animal. Maybe a sick, diseased, rabid animal that's not in its right mind anymore. But not an evil animal. Consider all the dictators you've learned about in school; I know the only tyrants I've heard of were cruel, scheming, apathetic…humans. But humans are also some of the best creatures I've ever known. The most kind, caring, resourceful "We'll do whatever it takes to fix this situation" type of creatures. Like the Dragons I knew.

He picks me up, pillow and all. He walks outside. I see the others.

No. I don't want to get up. Just enjoy what little life you have.

"Hey, what's up with Dojo?" Raimundo says this; he's the current leader, a street smart kid from Brazil. They all come closer to look at me, like I'm some sort of museum exhibit. Go. Never mind about me.

"I dunno. I just found him like this."

"Is it a Shen Gon Wu Dojo?"

"No, it can't be. Dojo is usually very active and lively when a Shen Gon Wu reveals itself. He also tends to complain about skin conditions. I will go get Master Fung." Omi runs off.

Omi. He has an ego the size of the moon, but he always tries his best. He's actually not the first Dragon to be orphaned and raised at the temple. Looks a lot like Dashi, but much, much shorter.

Shen Gon Wu. I hate those things. Not because every time they reveal themselves, I get a cold or a rash or just plain itchy (well, that is annoying). But because every time we have to go get one, it most likely means another showdown, another fight. I don't want them to get hurt. God forbid they get killed. Humans don't live long enough to begin with. And they're just kids.

I don't think it's fair that every Dragon so far has been a child when they started. They should be having fun, fantasying about what they'll be when they grow up.

The longer I know them, the harder it is to say goodbye.

I dread the upcoming Final Battle, the battle where they'll face off with the major forces of evil for one last time. They'll get hurt; I know they will. It'll be long and hard on them.

God forbid they get killed. Humans don't live long enough to begin with.

I miss them already.

Master Fung is here now. He looks at me, picks my head up.

"Dojo? What is the matter?"

Isn't it obvious?

"Curious. But I know what we can do."

No you don't, unless you've found the Fountain of Youth.

"I know of a healer who specializes in treating magical animals such as Dojo. I'll send him a message and he should be here in a matter of days."

Medicine is not what I need. I need you to stay, to never get old and sick and dead.

"But what if he gets worse?" Kimiko says this; a quick-tempered little girl from Japan. They're all so concerned about me.

"We should be able to take care of him till then. I must go and send my message. Perhaps he will speak to you and tell you what's wrong." He goes away and they sit down on the grass.

"Well, I'm all out of ideas."

"How? You didn't even say or try anything yet."

"Maybe it was something he ate."

"But he didn't eat a thing today."

My pillow's on the ground now. They're all looking at me. I don't want to move.

I want this moment to last forever. It'd be nicer if they weren't all worried about me. But I just want them to stay this way. Young and alive. Not dead and gone.

Don't leave me. I miss you already. I can't keep losing friends. I can't keep outliving them.

I'm a fifteen hundred year old dragon. If you think that's great for me, I beg to differ. I'm immortal.

The cruelest curse of all.

* * *

**The End.**

**Author's Notes: Word gave me problems with the names; I typed in Armando and it immediately went into the Spanish language, so I had to go back and tell it to spell check using the English language for each name (lucky for me, I found a "name your baby" book to use, so coming up with names wasn't hard). Other than that, I liked writing this fic.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes: Pardon my French…but "Holy Shit" is perhaps the most concise way of expressing my surprise. I never thought this fic would be that popular. I expected a few reviews, maybe five, followed by it being buried by newer things (since that's how it seems to work here). Review-wise, this is my second most popular story overall, and the most popular oneshot. Man, I must be a better writer than I give myself credit for.**

**Now, even before I saw the response to this, the idea for making this a two-parter did come into my mind. Now I really believe that I have to conclude this story somehow. Which is why I bring you chapter two.**

**I was on vacation for the past few days. It was only around the fifth day that I was able to use a computer and see what was up. Thus, I could not personally respond to everyone (too many to go through!) and besides, now that the second part is up, I can do it publicly!**

**So a big "Thank You" to fallonmarie3 (first person to review!), Arashi32900, Duchess192, almostinsane, Windthor, Alex11 (I see you out there!), MEL, Miss Puar, SilverSword14, avi17, dArkliTe-sPirit, Wonderland Reject, Milkweed, AGodofIrony, and Drummer-Blossom for reviewing and telling me what you thought about Curse. I'm glad you all enjoyed it. I was also (and still am) of the opinion that Dojo needs more stories about him. I'm glad you liked how I wrote it and that I was able to keep Dojo in character. And that you agreed with immortality being a curse. Thank you and anyone else who suddenly reviewed while I was posting this up.**

**Specific comments:**

**Windthor: I did not see the movie Highlander, but I do know that one quote, "There can only be one…". If you're reading this, is that what you meant?**

**SilverSword14: I was worried the part at the beginning, about my two assumptions, would bore people. I'm glad you found it informative. Like I said, I thought it was important to know.**

**Milkweed: Dragonlogy was and still is a great book. Did you know about all the other books that are out there (I've seen Pirateology and Wizardology and I presume they were done by the same people)?**

**avi17: Yeah, Dojo usually is the one making the jokes. He's a dragon and he's funny, which is like, double-bonus for me. I like the idea of putting funny characters in serious situations, because I know that's how it would be in real life.**

**Wow. Really long bunch of notes. But I'm done now. On to the story!**

**--**

Another Shen Gon Wu hunt. Another grand mini-adventure for the kids. Of course, if I had my way, they'd be at home, safe. Not getting caught up between the forces of good and evil.

But they have to go. It's what they were chosen to do.

I'm flying over a vast expanse of jungle. The trees are so thick. It looks like one huge green carpet. The Shen Gon Wu is close by; I can feel it, like I feel all the others that activate. Maybe, just this once, I can go the wrong way. Let Spicer take it. There's no need for the kids to fight.

Actually, that's kind of what I've been doing already. But they're catching on.

"Dojo, are you okay? Normally you'd find the Wu in a couple of minutes. But it's been an hour," says Kimiko. I can see from the corner of my eye the others looking at me. They're still worried.

Fine. I'll go the right way.

We land and I change back to my travel-size form. I'm end up sitting on Clay's hat, as usual. They're still staring at me.

"Dojo…"

"I told you, I'm fine. I just…had a bad day."

"More like a couple of bad days. You were still moping by the time that healer came. And it's obvious he didn't fix the problem, because you still look so…sad."

"If somethin's wrong partner, you should tell us."

Why bother telling them? I'd just make them sad too. Make them realize what I already know; that their lives are incredibly short and fleeting.

I stay quiet. They give up and start searching for the Wu. It's actually quite peaceful around here. There's no noise, except for the chirps of a few tropical birds. That is, until the familiar hum of machinery gets closer and closer to us.

"Hello Xiaolin losers."

It's Jack Spicer (self-proclaimed evil boy genius), Wuya (Heylin witch in ghost form), and Jack's robots. But these aren't the standard robots he makes.

"What do you want Jack?"

"What else? The Shen Gon Wu. And I wanted to show off my new Jaguar-bots. Not only are they like the real thing in looks, but they have the same instincts and are perfectly suited for this jungle. They happen to be very hungry today. And I'm very anxious to see them rip you to shreds."

Ferocious jungle cats in metal form. That is new. The kids get into their fighting positions, ready to take them on. The robots close in. Some of them are circling around, while the others move forward. They're all growling and hissing. They really are acting like jaguars.

Terrible thoughts go through my head. Mental images of the kids, hurt, dying, while these imitations feast on them like the man-eaters their supposed to be. Trying to feast on them, because I know they can't really eat anything.

Something snaps.

No.

I won't let that happen. These guys, and all the Dragons before them, are the closest things I've ever had to having kids. I love them. I love them too much to let them get hurt. This time, I'll fight. I'll help them.

Because I can no longer stand the idea of losing them. I know I will, eventually. But right now, I'll do anything to postpone it.

I've gone back to my larger, true form. I curl my tail around them. To protect them.

"Dojo! What are you doing?"

The robots attack. I'm able to swat them away with my tail. I even manage to spew some fire for once. But most of them are able to get to me. They slash at me with their claws. They bite down on my skin, hard. Dragon hide is tough, but their teeth must be tougher. They're all over me. There's too many. What was I thinking? I can't fight. I'm injured and it hurts. Real bad.

Is that my blood on the ground?

"That foolish dragon is trying to fight back. And he's paying for it too. Quick, take the Shen Gon Wu and go Jack," says Wuya. He must have listened to her, because the robots are going away and I can't see where he is anymore, if he's still here.

I feel so weak. I feel so sleepy. But the pain. The pain from these gashes is going away. I don't understand. Am I…

Am I dying?

How did I become small again? How did I end up on the ground? Why is everything starting to look fuzzy?

The only thing I know is that I'm being picked up now. Is that you Clay?

They're all crying. Do I look that bad? Is it because Jack got away with the Shen Gon Wu?

No. It's because I'm…dying.

"Dojo! What were you doing? What were you thinking?"

"Dojo, please, hold on!"

"We need you!"

_Flowers. All around me. A tall tree casts shadows on the ground. I'm under the tree. And it looks like I'm in some sort of meadow. But I thought I was in a jungle. What happened?_

_Then I see her. A little girl with brown hair is standing over me. I'd recognize that face anywhere, even if it's been over three hundred years._

"_Belle! Belle! Is that really you? I've missed you so much!"_

_She picks me up. It's so nice to see her again. But that means…_

"_I'm sorry that your end had to be so…painful Dojo. Everything will be alright now. But I have to tell you, there's no going back."_

"_You of all people should now that I've lived longer than, well, certainly most humans. I've had plenty of time. It's just…"_

"_Your new friends will be fine. They'll be sad, for sure, but they will move on."_

"_Will I…"_

"_See them again? So long as they lead good lives, I don't see why not. It's time we go. The others are waiting. They've wanted to see you again too."_

_I crawl onto her shoulders, just like I did all those years ago. She giggles and starts to walk away._

"Dojo?"

"Dojo?"

"Dojo!"

"Dojo…"

_I'll miss you, for now, but don't worry guys. We'll see each other again. I promise. And boy, will I have a lot of people to introduce to you. I can't remember the last time I've been so happy._

_The curse has been lifted._

--

**The End (really).**

**Author's Notes: Well, there you go. Dojo's dead. I couldn't see any other way of truly ending this story, other than that. I hope you like it. If you don't (and I won't be offended), ignore the second part. Pretend it never happened and that Curse is still only a oneshot. If you did, then I'm glad.**

**And if it wasn't obvious enough, the meadow is Belle's heaven. She likes nature and stuff. And that's why it switched to italics.**


End file.
